The 2024-25 Sports Direct Premiership season drew to a close yesterday with Linfield narrowly losing 1-0 to Coleraine at The Showgrounds on the final day.
Whilst the Blues were disappointed to lose, it doesn’t diminish their achievement this season as they won the title by the biggest points margin in history, finishing 22 points ahead of 2nd place Larne. Winning the title with six matches remaining also meant the Blues set the record for the earliest the title has ever been wrapped up.
The large travelling support showed their appreciation to their team and staff at the final whistle, with a well-deserved ovation for stalwart Terry Hayes in his final match before his retirement following 50 seasons of distinguished service as player and physio. ‘Haysie’ walks away with a remarkable tally of 27 Irish League winners’ medals.
The defeat means it’s the first time since December 2017 that the Blues have suffered back-to-back league defeats – a statistic which really highlights how resilient and how good David Healy’s teams have been at bouncing back over his tenure.
As has been a recurring theme since the title was won, David Healy made a number of changes to his team, once again leaving out some experienced players. That said, the starting eleven still possessed plenty of experience.
It was a fairly low-key first half. The Blues had more of the ball in the early stages, however the first chance of the match fell for Coleraine after 12 minutes as striker Declan McManus found space on the edge of the box before his low shot was well saved by David Walsh down low to his right.
The Blues’ first decent effort of a close-fought first half came on the half-hour mark, as Callumn Morrison showed good footwork just outside the Coleraine box before getting a shot off from 20 yards. The Scotsman struck it well but goalkeeper Max Little was equal to it.
Then, a short time later, Josh Archer started a quick counter-attack and found Morrison down the left where the Scotsman broke through a challenge from Coleraine defender Charles Dunne. Morrison then pulled the ball back to Archer who’d continued his run to the edge of the box from where he fired wide.
Five minutes before half-time Coleraine went close from a 20-yard free-kick as striker Declan McManus saw his dipping free-kick flash marginally over the crossbar.
The Bannsiders then broke the deadlock on 43 minutes with what would prove to be a winning goal. In fairness, it was a goal worthy of winning any match. The ball dropped for Coleraine winger Rhyss Campbell around 25 yards out and he hit a sweet volley into the top right corner of the net.
HT: Coleraine 1-0 Linfield
Blues’ boss David Healy made a tweak at half-time which saw Ethan McGee move from right to left and a more attack-minded Linfield approach. The Blues started the half well as Euan East’s cross from the left was headed over by Kirk Millar.
Glackin had a chance for Coleraine early in the second half from a counter-attacking, but he dragged a left-footed shot wide of the far post.
As Linfield probed for an equaliser, Charlie Allen was denied twice in quick succession. The midfielder was initially found inside the box by Kirk Millar before his shot was well saved by Max Little who parried it away at his near post. Allen retrieved the ball again moments later before his second effort was deflected wide.
Linfield midfielder Josh Archer then went close to an equaliser as he drove forward to the edge of the Coleraine box before his shot struck the post in front of the away end.
On top and continuing to search for a leveller, Linfield made a double substitution with Chris McKee and Kieran Offord replacing Callumn Morrison and Charlie Allen. Offord had a great chance to score within two minutes of coming on and will be disappointed that he didn’t take it. The Scottish forward was found in space in the middle by Ethan McGee’s cross from the left, but he didn’t get good purchase on his header which trickled across the face of goal.
The Blues had another chance 15 minutes before the end as Coleraine were unable to deal with Kirk Millar’s free-kick delivery from the left before Euan East volleyed just wide of the far post from a tight angle.
Offord then threatened again in the closing stages as he raced in to meet Chris McKee’s deflected cross at the back post, but his shot hit the post from close range.
In the 89th minute, Linfield were reduced to ten men with the dismissal of central defender Scot Whiteside. The former Coleraine man was booked for halting Matthew Shevlin on 81 minutes, and then received a second booking for a similar foul in a similar area eight minutes later. As a result, he’ll be suspended for the opening day of the 2025-26 Premiership season.
The Blues continued to search for an equaliser in five additional minutes, with Matthew Fitzpatrick having the best chance as he got a glancing header on Kirk Millar’s free-kick delivery from the right, but his effort went wide, and so Coleraine held on for a win which sees them leapfrog Crusaders and finish the season in fifth place ahead of the European play-offs.
Coleraine will await the outcome of next week’s Irish Cup Final between Cliftonville and Dungannon Swifts to find out who they’ll face in the European play-offs. As for Linfield, the Blues can now enjoy a well-earned break ahead of the European draw on June 17 which will determine who they’ll face in UEFA Champions League Q1 on July 8/15.
FT: Coleraine 1-0 Linfield
COLERAINE: Max Little (GK), Patrick Burns, Charles Dunne, Kyle McClelland, Dean Jarvis (Aidan Tejada 9’), Dylan Boyle, Ronan Doherty, Jamie Glackin, Rhyss Campbell, Declan McManus (Jamie McGonigle 69’), Matthew Shevlin
SUBS: Rory Brown (GK), Cameron Stewart, Jack Scott, Kyle Spence, Alfie Devine
LINFIELD: David Walsh (GK), Ethan McGee (Rhys Annett 78’), Scot Whiteside, Ben Hall, Euan East, Jamie Mulgrew ©, Josh Archer (Cammy Ballantyne 83’), Kirk Millar, Callumn Morrison (Kieran Offord 66’), Charlie Allen (Chris McKee 66’), Matthew Fitzpatrick
SUBS: Sam Roscoe, Dane McCullough, Ryan McKay
REFEREE: Tony Clarke